“Is anything else decided besides you?”
“They said the lead has someone in mind who will do it right away.”
“Who?”
“…I don’t want to say.”
“It’s not like you can’t say it, so what do you mean you won’t?”
When I asked back incredulously, he avoided my eyes while hemming and hawing, then muttered in a voice that seemed to crawl into a hole.
“Bae Hyeongwoo…”
“Bae Hyeongwoo?!”
Bae Hyeongwoo was an actor I’d liked since I was young. He appears a lot in substantial supporting roles, and since his younger days he rarely does dramas and mainly shoots movies. Every time a work came out, I went to the theater without fail to watch it. I’d even gone to a premiere and seen him in person from a distance.
I sparkled my eyes and shook our clasped hands vigorously.
“You absolutely have to do it.”
Can’t you invite me to the premiere too? I want to see Bae Hyeongwoo.
“This is why I didn’t want to tell you…”
“Why?”
I was already grinning thinking about getting an autograph when a thought suddenly crossed my mind and my expression instantly hardened.
“Don’t tell me… Bae Hyeongwoo… you dated him…?”
“Are you crazy? That ajusshi is like twenty years older than us?”
Won Dogyeong wrinkled his brow in shock. This time he was looking at me with incredulous eyes.
Ah, thank goodness. If Won Dogyeong said he’d dated Bae Hyeongwoo, it would have been shocking in many ways. Really, in many ways.
This is all the aftermath of the ex-boyfriend incident. That’s what happens when you don’t tell me.
…Not that I wanted him to tell me either.
I don’t even know what I want anymore.
“Anyway, think about it more.”
“I can watch Yongyong by myself. If you want to do it, don’t worry and just do it.”
“You’re only saying that because of Bae Hyeongwoo.”
“No~ Do what you want to do.”
About half because of Bae Hyeongwoo and half because of that?
“…How annoying.”
Won Dogyeong lifted our clasped hands and bit down hard on the back of my hand. It didn’t hurt since he bit gently, but it left a small teeth mark on the skin. He chewed on the skin of my hand several times. It tickles.
After quietly looking down at that sight, I pressed down on his head and pushed him away.
“Are you a dog? Stop that and let’s eat.”
“I’m not making food.”
“Then I’ll make it.”
Ignoring his sulky face, when I tried to get up from my seat nonchalantly, Won Dogyeong pulled my hand and sat me back down on the sofa. Then he headed to the kitchen with his lips pouting. I guess it felt a bit much to tell me to prepare food just because he was sulking.
As if protesting, the sound of his slippers dragging was louder than usual. I went to the kitchen both to appease him and help out, hovering around Won Dogyeong.
“I’ll cut that.”
“Just sit down.”
“I want to do some knife work for the first time in a while.”
When I made a half-hearted excuse, he chuckled as if it was funny to bicker over something like this. He roughly wiped his hands and moved away from the cutting board toward the pot as if to let me do as I pleased.
I took over the green onions he’d been cutting and chopped them finely, then opened my mouth at a thought that suddenly occurred to me.
“Should we go somewhere fun today?”
“All of a sudden?”
“The weather’s nice, and I’m feeling fine physically.”
We used to go around to various places together a lot. It seems like once every two months we went on trips to the provinces with restaurant tours as an excuse. Of course after Yongyong came to be, and even before heat came, I’d been too busy with work to go for months.
“Is there somewhere you want to go?”
I poured the green onions into the bubbling doenjang jjigae. Somewhere I want to go, hmm.
“The ocean?”
“The ocean? I’m good with that… Won’t you be tired?”
“I’m off tomorrow too.”
Won Dogyeong, who had been silent for a moment as if thinking about something, turned around with a face that brightened rapidly.
“Then should we go to Sokcho to eat squid sundae? The ocean is nearby too.”
“Sounds good.”
I know which place. It’s the place Won Dogyeong showed me recently saying he got a recommendation from an acquaintance. I guess he wanted to go.
With the outing suddenly decided, we quickly finished our brunch with just the doenjang jjigae that was cooking. While eating, we took out our phones and roughly decided where to go. Won Dogyeong excitedly pressed the bookmark button on every bakery and cafe that looked good.
We’d need to stay in Sokcho for a week to go to all of them.
Since it was a day trip and we were taking the car anyway, there wasn’t really any luggage to pack, so we just changed clothes and left the house.
“I’ll drive.”
In the past we used to take turns driving when we had to take the car, but recently it seemed like only Won Dogyeong had been struggling, so I reached out my hand asking for the car keys. He stared blankly at my palm thrust in front of his eyes, then slapped it down with a smack like a high five.
“It’s fine, you can do plenty of it later.”
“You’re the one taking me to and from work too.”
“It makes me more uncomfortable to make you do it. Just get in.”
“…Thanks.”
In the end, I sat in the passenger seat. Honestly, this is more comfortable. I’m scared that at this rate, having Won Dogyeong drive me everywhere we go will become a habit.
“It’s hot.”
“Must be summer.”
Even wearing short sleeves, it was hot at midday now. As if the rainy season was coming, the weather kept being cloudy and drizzle fell from time to time. Today was a miraculously clear day that came by chance. I checked the weather forecast before leaving, but it seemed it would become cloudy again at night.
Won Dogyeong lowered the air conditioning temperature and turned on the radio, stopping at a channel with upbeat music. Holding the steering wheel, he quietly listened to the song, then wrinkled his nose at some incomprehensible lyrics.
“This is the one that’s always on Shorts.”
It was vaguely familiar but unclear. I tilted my head, and when the frantic chorus started, I remembered where I’d heard it.
“Ah, I saw it on NeTube this morning. Idols dancing to it.”
“Dancing? A challenge?”
“Yeah. Do you do things like that too?”
“Me? Why would I dance.”
He snorted derisively without even looking back.
Won Dogyeong is terribly bad at dancing. He’s like a 2000s humanoid robot.
To the point where it’s amazing how he moves normally—whenever he dances, he becomes strange as if something’s stuck in his joints. No wonder in high school the dance club came all the way to the classroom to invite him in, then turned around after seeing Won Dogyeong creaking.
“True. You’re pretty serious.”
“Why did you even ask?”
“If you showed yourself dancing, your fan cafe would probably disappear.”
“…Did I do something wrong to you this morning?”
“You were filming vlogs or something like that, don’t you do that kind of thing?”
“The company told me to try filming if I could… but I’ve only been at home lately.”
“We’re going to Sokcho now. Should I film for you?”
“You don’t really need to film…”
“I’ll film for you.”
Without waiting for an answer, I took out my phone and turned on the camera. I decided to film purely because it seemed like it would be fun for me. It would be even more fun if Won Dogyeong fumbled in front of the camera.
I held the phone horizontally and started video recording. He glanced at the lens with an expression asking if I really had to do this, but didn’t try to stop me beyond that.
And we stood off like that with the camera pointed at him for quite a while. Only the scenery outside the window changed from mountains to a tunnel.
“…At least say something to me.”
“Me?”
When I blinked and asked back, he urged me.
“I don’t know what to say, hurry up.”
“What am I supposed to say?”
“I don’t know, you said you’d film.”
The vlogs I’d seen on NeTube all seemed to have people talking by themselves.
After thinking about it, I awkwardly opened my mouth, recalling something like a job documentary.
“Where are you going now?”
“Formal speech?”
“PDs do it like this.”
“I don’t like formal speech.”
“Geez, you’re picky. Where are you going?”
I raised my eyebrows and corrected my speech at his stubborn rebellion.
Wait, but isn’t this going to be seen by an unspecified number of people? Shouldn’t I use formal speech?
“I’m on my way to Sokcho.”
Despite his grumbling, Won Dogyeong answered with a skilled smile. I feel deceived.
“Why are you using formal speech?”
“You’re talking to me, and I’m talking to people beyond the screen.”
“Where’s the logic in that. I want to use formal speech too.”
“Do whatever.”
“…You’re just being a brat.”
“Yeah.”
Won Dogyeong laughed with a “keke” as if saying ‘you just figured that out?’ I was dumbfounded and lowered the camera, burying myself in the seat.
He shook with laughter for a while, then glanced at me and said in a voice still tinged with laughter.
“Don’t curse. Yongyong can hear.”
“I read in a book that Yongyong doesn’t have ears yet. It’s fine.”
I answered with a smile through gritted teeth.
Even if it’s just out of spite, I will film your vlog. Be prepared.
After arriving in Sokcho, we went straight to see the ocean first. Since it’s supposed to get cloudy from the afternoon, we should see it in advance.
I constantly lifted the camera to torment Won Dogyeong. Thinking that people would be watching, I thought it would be better to get his face properly, so I took away his sunglasses and mask too. Won Dogyeong pulled on the mask string asking for at least one of the two back. Usually he walks around fine with his bare face, but maybe his stubbornness kicked in since I told him not to wear them—he was persistent.
But I won.
Taking off his cap failed though. I was persuaded by his words that it wouldn’t work because his hair was pressed down. This much should be okay.
Since it wasn’t swimming season yet, there weren’t that many people on the beach. When I put my hand in the waves rolling up to my feet, the water temperature was quite cold. Won Dogyeong, who had crouched down next to me and dipped his hand in as well, shivered and pulled his hand out.
“It’s cold?”
“It’s still June.”
He was shaking off his hand when he glanced at me, dipped his hand in the ocean again, and splashed it vigorously toward me. Water droplets splashed on my face too, making me squint slightly. A drop must have gotten in my mouth because my lips tasted salty too.
“I knew you’d do that.”
Holding the phone in one hand, I splashed water with the other hand. Won Dogyeong didn’t even think to dodge and just grinned, halfheartedly raising his hand to only cover his face.
It’s fun when they run away, but since he’s just taking it, there’s no fun in the prank.
